I placed my trust in the forest
It watched me from far and near
As I prepared for a tiger sighting
Tiger-or-not but jungles always kept me walking
And when the sun was hot at its peak
The kapok would drop a flower kindly
We watched bears scrub each other with joy
and then quarrel again to make a point
The crocodiles smiled, and the fish often splashed my boat
as I rowed and shared my secrets along
In its moments of mundane and surprise,
Jungles made me rhythm and rhyme.
It’s been a decade since I left Jungles
And took refuge under the endless skies.
The seeds of the jungle are sown deep within me,
keeping me wild in the city premise
I whistle through the marigold streets,
singing bird songs to young and old
In the autumn and winter of the cities,
Jungles keep me warm within.
About The Author
Vineeta Yadav is a naturalist, writer, and social performance specialist awarded the Sanctuary Asia Young Naturalist Award (2016) for her wildlife conservation and community empowerment efforts. Having started her wilderness journey as a naturalist at Pugdundee Safaris in Chitwan National Park, she has extensive experience leading safari expeditions, working in elephant welfare, and contributing to nature and travel writing. She holds an MBA in Business Sustainability from TERI and works across South Asia focusing on social performance, community engagement, and environmental strategy.
Pugdundee Safaris is recognized as one of India’s leading responsible safari companies. With seven intimate jungle lodges in Central India and many bespoke wilderness experiences it presents the very best of the Indian subcontinent wildlife & hospitality. Between 2009 and 2026, we have been awarded for our excellence in wildlife safaris, our commitment to sustainability, our experienced naturalists and our pioneering mobile safari initiative. Pugdundee is a Hindi word meaning a foot trail commonly used by humans and animals, this word is popularly used for such beaten paths in the Indian jungles. We continuously strive to deliver the best possible guest experience, while still integrating the conservation of jungles and the people living around. We are motivated by the hope of reaching out to people in the remotest areas of our country, as we believe that they are the front-runners of wildlife conservation. However, maybe just a drop in the ocean we consider that we are making a significant contribution to wildlife conservation and rural economy wherever our lodges are.
